Power-transmitting mechanism.



y L. RINGER. l POWER TRANSMITTING MECHANISN.

APPLICATION FELED AUG.6|1915.

Patented July M), NHL

In f' f e" @zzz/22j /i im' @ma :IgM/ld Y- narran Lerares Parana vcarleton.

IAUTHER-RINGER, 0F BUFFALO, NEW YORK,A ASSIGNOR TO THE SIIVIMEN AUTOMATIC RAILWAY SIGNAL COMPANY, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF ARIZONA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented any io, fait.

Application led August 6, 1915. Serial No, 44,059.

Y ting Mechanism, of which the following is a f specification. Y

This invention relates to a mechanism for power transmission by means of which a shaft is rotated at a speed varying withA respect to the speed of a driving shaft. Its

` noveltyA lconsists in the construction and adaptation of the parts.

ln .the drawings, there is illustrated a 'preferred form of mechanism embodying 'the-invention, and for the sake of clearness, it 1 `sj shown applied to a motor.dr1ven vel. H liicle, the positions of the parts shown in the principal figures being those assumed when the Vehicle is proceeding forward at the second intermediate speed. I do not limit myself to the application of my invention tol motor driven Vehicles. It may be used in any .relation where itis deslrable to trans- 4mitpower from a shaft driven at constant lspeed to a second shaft at varying s eeds.

In the mechanism illustrated, I have s own av device capable of four forward and one backward speed, but the number of speeds may bevaried to suit the exigenc'ies of use without departing from the essential prlnciples of the-int'fention..

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a central section through and aside elevation of the `gear case and adjacent parts; Fig-2 is a verticalsection on the plane of the l1-ne 2-2 1n Fig. 1, showing the ,means of coupling the i' gears to the driven shaft; and Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of one of the driv- 4ing gears and its coperating clutch.

In the drawings, 1 indicates a, gear case '.vprovidedwith apartition 111, having a i slideways34 and 35 in which a control bar. -'51 is adapted to be reciprocated. f A

4bracket 112, and in its sidewalls and in the partition and bracket there are formed bearings, namely 36 and 33 in whicha driving shaft 95 is adapted to revolve; 28, 29 and 30 in which a driven shaft 37 is 'adapted to revolve; 99 and 100 in which an idler shaft 101 is adapted to revolve, and 31 and 32 in which a transmission shaft is adapted to rev olve, lT he gear case is also provided with A motori shaft indicated at 2 terminates in idly secured gears 24 and 27.

idly secured to the shaft, the collar 41 being located inside of an annular flange 40 projecting from the face ofu the gear (see Fig. 3), and which flange has en its outer end a seriesr of teeth 9 adapted' tol mesh" withasimilar series of teeth 10 carried on the end o f'a collar 43 which .is slidably mounted upon the shaft 95 butv yis prevented from .rotatlng thereon by a key or feather'42.` In the collar 43 is a groove 44 adapted to vbe engaged by two rollers 45 carried by the forked arm 46 of a bell crank lever 48 piv* oted at 47 to a fixed part of the casing, the other arm of the -lever being also forked to istraddle the control bar 53 and carrying a vshaft 37 biitprevented from sliding thereon sof` by collars 9() and 91 rigidly securedto'the y shaft. At one side, the collar 91 is-provided with means for coupling the gear to lthe sha-ft in the form ofaratchet disk 89; which is .adjacent to the side of the gear and is `adapted to be engaged by a pawlSS mounted on the gear by a pivot 96 and pressed into engagement with the ratchet by a spring 97. The gears 15 and 17 have coupling members like the gear 19 and the gears lland 22 have coupling members like the gear 20. In the case of the gear 22, one of the bearings 29 takes the place of the collar 90. The gear' 16 is rigidly secured to the shaft 37 and the gear 21 to the shaft 95.

0n an extension of the shaft 37 are rig` The gear 24 is adapted to mesh with the gear 23 rota- 'tablyvmounted on the shaft 38 and preventfed from lateral movement by an annular flange provided with an inside collar similar4 to the collar 41. with a series of Ateeth 12 adapted to 'mesh with a similar series of teeth 11 on a'collar 94 mounted to slide on the 'shaft 38 and caused to turn therewith by a. key (not shown). This collar is provided with a groove 93 adapted to beengaged by rollers 92 of a bell crank-lever 50 similar to the lever 48, and it is also provided with a series of teeth 14 adapted to mesh with a similar series of teethl 13 on a flange projecting from a gear wheel 25 secured on the shaft 38. The

. gear 27 is adapted to mesh with anidler gear 26 rigidly attached to a shaft 101, and this idler gear in turn meshes with the gear The transmission shaft 38 is extended to the driving axle of the vehicle indicated at 87. Bell cranks 51 and 52 similar to the bell crank 48 are provided with rollersV at each end like that crank.

The control bar 53-is provided with a series of slots 63, 64, 65 and 66 in which o er-l ate the rollers 67, 68, 69 and 70,-carrie by the levers 50, 48, 51 and 52 respectively. The lever 50 together with its coperating parts controlsthe'sliding sleeve forming one member of each of the clutches 11 12 and 13 14, which in turn causes the shaft 38.to be driven from the gear 23 or 25. The lever 48 controls the clutch 9 10 of the gear 19. The lever 51 controls the clutch 7 8 of the gear 17 g and the lever 52 controls the clutch 5 6 of the gear 15. The slot 63 is composed of three'parts 54; 55 and 56, the slot 64 of two parts v57 and 58, the slot 65 of two parts 59 and 60, and the slot 66 of two parts 61 and 62. The different parts of these several slots have different lengths Aand levels, but

` right ends of all the slots are on the same level.

accomplished by means of an operating lever 77 pivotally mounted at 84 to a lug prov.jecting from the gear case. Rigidly secured connectedvwith the catch by a rod 79 supported bearing 80 and,4 around which rod is coiled a spring'81 to. maintain the catch in engagement with six notches 71, 72,v

73, 74, and 76 in the to' edge of a sector 83 arranged adjacent to t e-lever.

It will be noted that the driving gears 15, 17, 19 and 21 progressively decrease in size from right to left, and that the coperating driven gears meshing .therewith pro essively decrease in size from left to right., The ratio of the gears 19 and 20 is greater than the' ratio of the gears 21 and 22 and This flange is provided The reciprocation of the controlbar 53 is AFor.instance, if the clutch 5 6 is out of mesh and the..rclutches 7 8 and 9 10 are in mesh, the speed of the shaft 37 will be determined by the ratio of the gears 17 and 1 8. In 'such case, the gear 15 would be revolving independently of the shaft 95 being driven by the gear 16; and the gear 20 would be revolving at a slower rate tb f1 n the v shaft 37, the difference in their speeds being accounted for by the sliding of the coupling pawl upon its ratchet. In the same way the,

gear 22 would be-revolving more slowly than the shaft 37 but still slower than the gear 20.

When the operating lever 77 is brought to such a position that the vcatch 82 is inthe. notch 71, the roller 67 of the bell crank 50 will be in the part 56 of the-slot 63, and the clutch 13 14 will be in mesh and the clutch 11 12 -out ofl mesh. vThe roller 68 of the bell crank 48 will be in the part 58 of the slot 64 and-the clutch 9 10 will be out of mesh..A The roller 69 of the` bell crank 51 will be in the vpart 60 of the slot 65 and the clutch 7 8 will be out-of mesh,` and the roller 70 of the bell crank 52 will be in the part v62 of the slot 66 and the ,clutch 5 6 will be out of mesh. The shaft 37 will therefore be driven from the shaft according to the ratios of the gears 21 and 22 which is low-speed. The

shaft 38 will he driven from the shaft 37 through the gears 27, 26 and 25 and the rotation of the shaft will therefore be backward; e j

l When the catch 8 2 is in the notch 72 the roller 67 will be in the part 55 of the slot 63 and the clutches 13 14 and 11 12 will be out of mesh, the roller 68 willbe in the part 58- of the slot 64 and the clutch 9 10 will be ont of mesh, the roller 69- will be in the part 60 of the slot 65 and the clutch 7 8 will be vout of mesh, and the roller 70 will be in the part 62 of the slot 66 and the clutch 5 6 will be out of lnesh.A Therefore the shaft .37 will be driven by the shaft 95 in accordance with the ratios of the gears 21 and 22, but the shaft 38 will not be driven due to the fact vthat the gears 23 and.25 are both rotating independently of that shaft and -no` power will be delivered to the wheels of the mechanism.

When the catch 82 is in the notch 73 the ,l roller 67 will be in the part 54 of the slot 65and the clutch 7 8 will be out'of mesh,

.and'theroller 70 will be in the part 62 of the slot 66and the clutch 5 6 willbe-out of the simplest' form of lever to operatemd` mesh. The shaft 37 will therefore be driven from the shaft -9 according to the ratios of i the roller 68 will be in the part 57 of the. slot 64 and theclutch 9--10 Will be in mesh, the roller 69 will be in the part 60 of the slot 65 and the clutch 7-8 will be out of mesh.v

and the roller will be in. the part 62 of the slot 66 and the clutch 5 6 will be out of mesh. Therefore the shaft 37 will be driven at .a speed determined by the ratios of the gears 19 and 20, and as .the shaft 38 is driven by means of the gears 24 and 23 it will move forward atthe first intermediate speed.

vWhen the catch 82 is, in the notch 74, the the roller 67 vwill lbe in the part 54 of the slot 63,Zand the clutch 11-12 will be in mesh, the roller 68 will be in the part 57 of the-slot v6st and the clutch 2)-10 will be in mesh, the roller 69-will be in the part 59 oi` the slot 65 vand the clutch 7 8 will be in mesh, and the roller 70 will be in the part 62 of the slot 66 and the clutch 5 6 will be out of mesh. -Therefore the shaft 37 will be driven .at a rate ofspeed determined by the ratios of the gears 17 and 18 and as the. `shaft 38 is driven by the gears 24 and 23 it `will move forward at the second intermediate speed.

When the catch 82 is in the notch 76, the roller 67 will be inthe part 54 of the slot 63, and the clutch 11-12 will be in mesh, the roller 68 will be in the part 57 of the slot G4 and the clutch 9-10 will be in mesh, the roller 69vwill be inthe part 59 of the slot 65 and the clutch 7-`-8 willpbe. in mesh, and the roller 70 will be in the part 61 of the slot 66 and .the clutch 5-6 will be in mesh. The shaft 37 will therefore be driven'at a speed determinedby the ratio o1' the gears 15 and '16 and the shaft 38 through the gears 24 and 23 will be movedA forward at high speed.

The described mechanism has many' advantages. The operating lever is moved progressively in a vertical plane, which is understand. There is but one lever toconw trol all variations in speedl and there is therefore'no danger o f a mistake between forward and backward speed.' There is no danger of strippingl gears when changing speed because .the driving and driven gears device is simple and compact, has few parts.

which may be readily made from standard .catch 8 2 is in the notch 75.

material and which `are economical to make and replace.

I claim l. A power transmitting mechanism', comprising a driving shaft a gear fixed to the shaft, a series of gears loosely mounted thereon and progressively differing in diameter from the gear fixed thereon, a driven shaft, a. gear fixed to the driven shaft, a series of gears loosely mounted on the driven shaft and progressively differing in ndiameter from the gear secured to said driven shaft, the two series of gears -being in constant mesh for respectively turning the driven' y:shaft in one direction, means for coupling automatically to the driven shaft that one of its gears which is driven fastest from the driving gears, and means for coupling the driving gears to the shaft.

2. In a device of the character described. a driving shaft, a series of gears mounted thereon and progressively varying in size, a driven shaft, a series of gears mounted thereon and progressively varying in size in inverse proportion to the driving gears, means fr intermittently coupling any of the gears on the 'driving shaft to the shaft except thesmallest one of the series which is permanently secured on such shaft, and means for coupling the gears on the driven shaft to such shaft except the smallest one of such series which is permanently secured A thereon, and means whereby the coupling of any of the driven gears and the shaft is adapted to slip when the shaft is rotated faster than such gear.

3. A power transmitting mechanism, comprising a driving shaft and a driven shaft, a gear fixed to each'shaft, a gear loosely mountedon the other shaft and meshing with the gear fixed to the opposite shaft, means for clutching and unclutching one of the loose gears and its shaft, means for permitting the rotation of the'other loose gear on its shaft in one directionv and preventing the relative rotation in the opposite direc;

tion, other sets of coacting gears loosely mounted onboth shafts, means for clutchin and unclutching certain of the gears of sai Ithe other gears of said sets on their shaft in one vdirection while preventing their rota- 'l tion with respect to the shaft in the oppo-l site direction. 4

4. In an apparatus of the kind described, adriving shaft, a series of gears loosely mounted thereon and progressively decreasing in size to a gear rigidly mounted thereon, a driven shaft, a series of gears loosely mounted thereon and"progressively increasing in size from a gear rigidly mounted thereon, the two series of gears being permanently in mesh, means for temporarilyA coupling to the driven shaft that one of its gears which is driven fastest by the driving gears and manually operated means for cou- .pling any of the driving gears to their common shaft except the smallest gear.

5. A power transmitting mechanism comprising a driving shaft, a gear fixed to the shaft, a series of gears loosely mounted thereon and progressively differing in diameter from the gear fixed thereon, a driven shaft,

a gear fixed thereto, a series of gears loosely mounted thereon and progressively differing in diameter. from the gear secured thereon, the two series of gears being in constant mesh for respectively turning the f driven shaft in one direction, means for coupling automatically to the driven shaft that onel 0f its gears which is driven fastest from the driving gears, and manually operated means for coupling thedriving gears to the shaft, the latter means including an operating lever, a control bar moved thereby to predetermined positions, a series of clutch levers moved in accordance with the movement of the control bar, and clutches moved by such levers to couple the loosely mounted gears to the driving shaft.

6. In a device of the character set forth, a

driving shaft and a driven shaft, sets of permanently intermeshed gears of different ratios for connecting the shafts, one of the gears of eachset with the exceptionof one being loosely mounted on one of the shafts, the excepted gear being fixed to the said shaft, means for preventing relative movement between the loose gears and the shaft in one direction and permitting said relativel movement in an opposite direction, one of the vgears of each set being also loosely mounted on the other shaft. and means for clutching the last mentioned gears to said other shaft.

7 In a'device of the character described, a control bar provided with a series of slots of different lengths and levels,vone end of all the slots being on the samele'vel and the 0D- posite end of all the slotsbeing on a ldifferent level, a series of clutch-levers co'perating with the control bar, each-lever having a member adapted to engage pone of `the slots and an opposite member adapted to engage' a clutch, the bar thus slotted being adapted to control forward speeds of the power it is shaft.

the slots, all of the slots being of different lengths and each composed of two levels, the

lower levels of all the slots being coincident, the bar thus slotted being adapted to conv trol forward speeds of the mechanism', in combination with another slot, roller and clutch lever, and which slot has three levels, the lower one of which is coincident with the lower level of the other slots and which slot in said bar is adapted to control a backward speed of the mechanism.

9. In adevice of the kindl described, a driving shaft and gearsmounted thereon and progressively decreasing in size, a driven shaft and gears'mounted thereon and progressively increasing in size, the series of gears being in. permanent mesh, means for coupling temporarily to the driven shaft that one of its gears which is driven fastest, and manually operated means for coupling any ofthe driving gears to its shaft, in combination with a transmission shaft, two gears loosely mounted thereon, means for driving either gear from the driven shaft,

'and a clutch between the two gears whereby.

the gears may be coupled. to the tate it in eitherdirection. i

10.l In an apparatus of the kind described, a driving-shaft and gears mounted thereon,

shaft to roa driven shaft andv gears mounted thereon,

-in mesh with the first series of gears, a transmission shaft, two gears loosely mounted thereon, and means for driving either from the driven shaft, a clutch between the two gears whereby either may be coupled to the transmisslon shaft and a common means for coupling to the driving shaft and transmission shaft any of the series of gears to secure in the apparatus a backward and several forward speeds for the transmission 11. In a device-of the characterlset forth,

a driving shaft and a driven shaft, sets ofn permanently intermesh'ed gears of different ratios for connecting the shafts, one of Ithelgears of each set with 'the exception of one y l y ein'g loosely'mounted on one of the shafts,

` the exceptedlgear being fixed to said shaft,

means forv'preventing relative movement bevmentinman opposite -direction, one of the gears of each shaftwith the exceptlon of one being loosely mounted on the other shaft, said exceptedigear being fixed to saidv -tween the-loose gears and the shaft in one f kdirection and permittlng such relative move- 

